Broken Bonds
by Eppie Black
Summary: Obi-Wan struggles to keep Luke hidden despite an unexpected complication.Pre-ANH


Broken Bonds  
By Eppie Black  
  
Disclaimer: I make no money off this. No copyright infringement intended  
  
The Lars Homestead  
Anchor Head Tatooine  
The Seventh Year of the Reign of Emperor Palpitine  
  
Owen Lars leant across the kitchen table to address his brother.   
  
"You have to do this." He said, whispering harshly; harshly as to sound forceful; whispering so that his wife and the boy, especially the boy, wouldn't overhear the conversation.   
  
Obi-Wan Kenobi could sense the fear, the anger and yet the sympathy felt by Owen. He knew that the anger was reserved for him. He should have taken care of this situation before now. The sympathy, that was for the boy. The fear.......The fear was better not contemplated.   
  
"Of course, " Obi-Wan replied with excrutiatingly calm Jedi diction. "They must be seperated."  
  
"No," Owen corrected him, "more than seperated, You've felt it out there in the middle of the force-forsaken dessert. I feel it even though I was never strong enough for your gods-damned Jedi. And it's still getting stronger. What do you think is going to happen next?"  
  
"Of course I'll do it." Obi-Wan said slowly, with regret, "I had hoped it wouldn't come to this."  
  
"Bantha shit!" said Owen bitterly."Its just a mind-whammy Obi. Just another fucking mind whammy. How many times have you done this kind of thing."  
  
"You don't understand." Obi-wan started, "this is..."  
  
Owen cut him off abruptly, "I don't have time for your philosophy lecture. Its set for tonight. So just quit you Jedi boo-hoo about it."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
2.  
  
Owen Lars slammed the door to his own kitchen shut, leaving Obi-Wan to his own thoughts. Then he traversed a narrow passageway of the mostly underground dwelling to the back parlour. Beru had the radio on, classical music on Galactic Broadcasting Network, tainted by Imperial propaganda of course but what could a man do?  
  
Owen gestured and then called to the small boy who sat at a table practicing writing; labouriusl childish block letters in a lined tablet.   
  
"Luke," he said, trying to use his most commanding voice, "Come here. There's something important we need to discuss, tonight, before you go to bed."   
  
Luke nodded obediantly, stood up and turned to face Owen. His face was a studied attempt at adult gravity.   
  
"You will not be allowed to play with Windy Whills anymore." Owen said and waited for Luke to acknowledge the command. The boy fidgeted a little and looked hurt."  
  
"Do you understand me Luke?" Owen added.   
  
"Why?!" the reply when it finally came was angry, frustrated, and whining. "He's my best friend!"  
  
Owen steeled himself and launched into his rehearsed explanation. "Because he's a bad influence and the older boys he hangs out with are even worse. I don't want you to get mixed up with such a rough crowd so I am putting a stop to this now.   
  
Luke looked at Owen for a long moment as if measuring the firmness of this decision. Finding it very firm indeed, he lowered his gaze meekly and said, very unhappily:  
  
"Yes, Uncle Owen, Sir."  
  
"Good Lad." Owen said. "I don't want to have to discuss this again with you. Now kiss your auntie goodnight and get to bed.   
  
Luke did as he was told. Owen was secretly greatly releived, making that boy angry always made him feel---a bit nervous.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
3.  
  
Obi-Wan lay on a bed in the close subterranean confines of the Lars' spare bedroom. Luke was in the next room. Obi-Wan monitored him closely, although carefully so as not to form too strong a link with the child himself. The boy was upset. Owen must have told him the agreed upon explanation. Luke's disquiet added to the time Obi-Wan had to wait for the boy to fall asleep. Time to think about what he was about to do. Time to wonder where the Jedi had gone so wrong that it had come down to this. Time to look to the Force for assurance that this was indeed the correct path. He found---nothing. The Force had nothing to say to him on this matter.   
  
Eventually the presence of the bond itself subliminally reassured Luke that his gaurdian's words were of no consequence. His heart rate slowed. Sleep quieted his active mind. In that quiet the bond shone all the more brightly. Obi-Wan was amazed by its strength. It was as he suspected a bond between soulmates. It was so strong that it seemed as if the young Whills was present in Luke's room. In his mind's eye, Obi-Wan could see the two little bondmates curled up innoecently together.  
  
"This is so wrong." Obi-Wan thought to himself. He tried to be reassured by the fact that neither boy would feel anything in the morning. Of course that was the point, and the crime. He wished he could talk to these two children about this. Explain what was going on. Teach them to shield their minds properly. This of course, could not be done...it was just too dangerous.   
  
Now he could also sense the presense of the elder Whills. The child's grandfather, another Jedi remnant like himself, would do the necessary work on Windy's side of the bond. They had to work in synchronization with each other so as not to cause more trauma then absolutely necessary. Move the bond to a place deep within each boy's subconscious too deep to accessed by untrained Force sensitives.   
  
Obi-Wan Kenobi began to pick the lock to Luke Skywalker's mind. He felt like a criminal.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
